Mephala
Mephala is one of the Daedric princes. She is known by the names Webspinner, Spinner, and Spider. Her sphere is obscured to mortals, and her only consistent theme seems to be interference in the affairs of mortals for her amusement. Some scholars have identified the Night Mother as an incarnation of Mephala. Her realm is known to be completely inaccessible to mortals, and her minions are known as the Spider Daedra. History Mephala is the Webspinner, or the Spider God. In Morrowind, she was the ancestor that taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer were a small faction. She, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses. She founded the Morag Tong. She is also called the Anticipation of Vivec. As mentioned above, Mephala is one of the three Good Daedra of the Dunmer. The Good Daedra are Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala. They were mostly worshiped by the Chimer prior to the apotheosis of the Tribunal, and their changing to Dunmer. The Dunmeri Temple acknowledges them as the anticipations of the Tribunal. Azura is the anticipation of Sotha Sil, Boethiah is the anticipation of Almalexia and Mephala is the anticipation of Vivec. Merethic Era Back in the Merethic Era, Boethiah "illuminated" the Prophet Veloth and his Chimer followers to renounce all ties to the Aldmer and found a new nation based on Daedric principles (present-day Morrowind). Azura taught the Chimer the mysteries needed to be different than the Altmer. Mephala taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer was a small faction. Mephala, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses of the Dunmer. Mephala created an assassin guild, Morag Tong. There is a record of Mephala dealing with the Daedric Prince, Sanguine. Mephala made a deal with Sanguine for twenty-seven tokens she could give to her devoted followers. The Dark Brotherhood stole these tokens from the Morag Tong. According to Morag Tong member, Mephala eventually arranged for them to return to the guild. It was called the Thread of the Webspinner. The Nerevarine systemically killed the members of the Dark Brotherhood one by one, including the Dark Brotherhood Night Mother in the ruin of Ald Sotha, and retrieved back the tokens. It rather contradicts the information above that Night Mother is Mephala. Something for sure, these assassins guilds are not an open book, and information about them is obscured to the public. Before this event however, the Nerevarine was rewarded by Mephala with the Ring of Kajiit after he slew a rogue assassin in Balmora. Detailed conversation of the event can be read here. Third Era The Champion of Cyrodiil is also reported dealing with Mephala. She asked the champion to go to the settlement of Bleaker's Way, which consisted of two families. She ordered the champion to kill the leaders of the two families, and leave evidence that the murders were done by the other family. Eventually this brought chaos to the peaceful settlement, the members of the two families killed each other. Mephala was pleased seeing this and rewarded the champion with the Ebony Blade. Artifacts The Ebony Blade was also rewarded to the Hero of Daggerfall sometime after the War of Betony. The blade was around, since the time of the Eternal Champion. It is also believed that the Eternal Champion himself once wielded the blade. The legend of the blade describes it as follows: "The Ebony Blade, sometimes called the Vampire or the Leech, resembles an ebony katana, and its power is very dark indeed. Every time the Ebony Blade strikes an opponent, part of the damage inflicted flows into the wielder as raw power. The Blade itself may not be any more evil than those who have used it, but at some point in its history, a charm was cast on it so it would not remain with any one bladesman for long. The wizard who cast this charm sought to save the souls of any too infatuated by the Blade, and perhaps he was right to do so." Trivia *Mephala may be based on the Sisters of Fate from Greek Mythology since both see the lives and affairs of mortals as a tapestry or web, and cut down their lives. Category:Characters Category:The Elder Scrolls Category:Non-playable Characters Category:Non-human Characters Category:Daedras Category:Daedric Princes Category:Male Characters Category:Female Characters Category:Evil Characters